Paper roll stripper

ABSTRACT

THE PAPER ROLL STRIPPER IS CONTEMPLATED WHICH INCLUDES MEANS FOR LIFTING AND LOCATING A PAPER ROLL, AND PLOUGH MEANS MOUNTED ON A BELT WHICH MEANS ARE DRAWN ALONG THE ROLL OF PAPER GRADUALLY REMOVING THE PAPER FROM THE ROLL.

Sept. 20, 1971 w. e. 5. SMITH ETAL 3,605,542

PAPER ROLL STRIPPER Filed latch 14, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WVE/VTOA MAL/AM a. s. SM/fi/ W 6150235 5 SM/rH Sept. 20., 1971 w, s, SMlTH EI'AL 3,605,542

PAPER ROLL STRIPPER Filed March 14, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ll iii/ L I 3f 22 I 30a A l W v 280% i F ig.3.

MIMI/V70? WALL/4M 6. .5? 541/774 w. GEO/P65 5. 5/11/74 United States Patent 3,605,542 PAPER ROLL STRIPPER William George Spear Smith, P.0. Box 10, Topsail C.B., Newfoundland, Canada, and William G. S. Smith, 333 Hamilton Ave., St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada Filed Mar. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 842,413 (Filed under Rule 47(a) and 35 U.S.C. 116) Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 14, 1968, 12,502/ 68 Int. Cl. B26d 1/46 US. Cl. 83--564 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The paper roll stripper is contemplated which includes means for lifting and locating a paper roll, and plough means mounted on a belt which means are drawn along the roll of paper gradually removing the paper from the roll.

This invention relates to machines for stripping paper from paper rolls.

In papermaking, rolls of paper may be produced which contain paper of unacceptable quality and such rolls therefore require remanufacture. Remanufacture involves the repulping of the paper, and as repulping machines usually cannot handle a whole paper roll at one time, the paper must be stripped from the roll and fed to the repulper at a rate acceptable to the repulper.

Common practice in the paper industry in stripping paper from a roll is to use a wooden plough which is manually pushed from one end of the roll to the other under successive layers of paper. The paper may then be fed to the repulper at a rate compatible with its capacity. However, this manual operation is both slow and expensive.

Machines have been devised to accomplish the stripping operation and one known type utilizes the guillotine principle, slicing through the paper on the roll from surface to core in one stroke. However, the frequency with which the guillotine type knives must be sharpened, the manual operation involved in feeding the stripped paper to the repulper, and the difiiculties encountered in loading large rolls onto the machine render it less than satisfactory.

Other types of machines which will effect the stripping operation are also known. Some use knives or ploughs which are driven along the length of the paper roll by endless belts or screw arrangements and thereby strip paper from the roll. However, all known machines are unsatisfactory because the rate at which paper is cut from the roll cannot be adjusted to correspond to the capacity of the repulper. Additionally, there is no convenient means provided for feeding the stripped paper to the repulper. Finally, placing large paper rolls in stripping position on such known machines is inconvenient and requires the use of cranes or hoists which might, more advantageously, be used elsewhere in the papermaking plant.

The present invention, therefore, contemplates a machine which will satisfactorily meet the requirements of the paper industry without having any of the disadvantages outlined above and yet be simple in design and economical to manufacture. Thus, a stripping apparatus according to the present invention comprises a frame and arms mounted on the frame pivotable about a horizontal axis. Clamp means are located onv the frame for positioning the roll such that its longitudinal axis is parallel to the first mentioned horizontal axis. Stripping means, adapted to move axially of the roll, are mounted on arms such that the distance between the first axis and the stripping means is approximately equal to the distance between the longitudinal axis and the first mentioned axis.

3,605,542v Patented Sept. 20, 1971 In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes regulator means which regulate the angular velocity at which the stripping means move toward the centre of the roll as the arms pivot downwardly.

The apparatus may also include means for lifting the roll from a roll storage area onto the stripping apparatus, and moving the roll into engagement with the means for locating the roll.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the roll stripping apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one half of the apparatus of FIG. 1 (the other half being substantially a mirror image of the half shown), and

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of one half of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 (the other half being substantially a mirror image of the half shown).

The apparatus, as described below, is adapted to strip paper from paper rolls having attached core rods. Such rods are inserted through the center of a paper roll, tightly grip the interior of the roll, and serve as the paper roll axis. Additionally, the ends of the core rod generally extend past the ends of the roll and thereby form core rod projections.

The preferred embodiment of the apparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is situated directly over a re-pulping machine (not shown) and is in communication therewith through a hole in the floor designated generally by the letter A. The apparatus includes a frame comprising a base generally designated by reference numeral '1 and a rocker assembly generally designated by reference numeral 2. The base comprises two spaced, parallel sides 3 (only one of which is shown) which are held together by cross-members 4 and 5.

The rocker assembly 2, which is pivotably mounted on the side 3 of the base 1 by pins 6 (only one of which is shown) comprises two spaced, parallel rocker members 7 joined by a cross-piece 8. The rocker members 7 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of paper roll to be stripped by the apparatus and comprise generally triangular trusses, each of which lies in a vertical plane and is orientated such that its base lies above its apex. Thus, as each base forms a substantially flat surface, a paper roll may be supported at its ends by the core rod projections and thereby the roll may be rolled along the rocker assembly.

A free end of each rocker member may advantageously be provided with an upturned lip 10 adapted to abut against the core rod projections of a paper roll and thereby prevent the roll from rolling off of the rocker assembly as the assembly is tilted.

Core shaft stops 11 (only one of which is visible) are mounted on the upper surface of each rocker member and are adapted to project upwardly therefrom. Clamping means such as screw type clamps 12 are pivotably mounted on the core shaft stops and when downwardly pivoted allow a paper roll to be rolled into a position wherein the core shaft stops abut against the core rod projections. When the roll is in such a position, the clamps may be swung up and tightened whereby the core rod is held firmly between the core rod stops and the end of the clamp.

Two air cylinders 13 which pivot the rocker assembly 2 about pins 6 are pivotably mounted to the base '1. A bracket 14, in turn, is mounted on cross-piece 8.

Two arms 15 connected by cross member 1511 are pivoted on bearings 16 fastened to brackets 14. The arms are thereby pivotable in a vertical plane through an are limited by pivot stops \17 and 18 mounted on cross member 15a, in a position to abut against brackets 14. The

3 arms advantageously extend past pivot 16 to support a counterweight 19.

Plough beam 20 is mounted across the ends of arms 15 and is inclined thereto, as more fully explained below, by known means which are not shown. Pulleys 21 are rotatably mounted at each end of plough beam 20. Belt 22 runs on the pulleys 21 and carries plough 23 which are equally spaced on belt 22. Pulley 24 is rotatably mounted coaxial with one of the pulleys 21 and is adapted to rotatably drive one of the pulleys 21 through a common axial shaft. Gear motor 25 is mounted on the upper surface of plough beam 20 and is arranged to directly drive pulley 26 which in turn drives pulley 24 through belt 27.

Preferably, the distance between the axis of pivot 16 and the lower edge of plough 23 is equal to the distance between the axis of pivots 16 and the axis of a core rod when clamped in position by clamp 12.

Dash-pots 28 are connected to the rocker member 7 at 28a and to an extension 28b of arms 15 at 28c. An

air-oil tank 29 having a three-way valve 30 is mounted on arm 30a which in turn is mounted on one of the arms 15 and is connected to dash-pot 28 through lines 31 and 32. Line 31 contains an adjustable check-valve type flow control valve 33 which regulates the rate at which fluid can flow from the dash-pot 28' and thereby regulate the rate at which arms 15 may pivot downwardly. Line 32 by-passes flow control valve 33 and includes a quick-open valve 34 and a flow regulating valve 35. Preferably, flow regulating valve 35 allows a higher fluid flow rate than does flow regulating valve 33 and therefore, by opening quickopen valve 34 to by-pass flow regulating valve 33, the plough beam may be quickly lowered from an upper position to a position in which the ploughs 23 are adjacent the surface of the roll.

Pivotable guard-rail 36 is attached at each end to arms 37 which in turn are pivotally connected to stanchions 38 by pivots 39, the stanchions being arms 37 may extend past pivots 39 and be provided with counterweights 40 mounted at the ends of the two members 7 opposite from pivot 16.

In operation, the plough beam. 20 is raised by admitting compressed air through the three-way valve 30 to the top of air-oil tank 29. Oil is thus forced through line 31 thereby opening the check-valve portion to regulating valve 33 and allowing fiow into dashpot 28. The air cylinders 13 are extended by admitting compressed air to the bottom of the c'ylinders by means of conventional valves. The extension of cylinders 13 pivots the rocker assembly 2 about pivots 6 and thereby lowers the lip 10.

A core shaft is inserted into the roll to be stripped and is adjusted to firmly engage the roll. When the core shaft is so adjusted, the roll and the core comprise an integral unit having the core shaft as an axis, the ends of the shaft projecting past the ends of the roll.

The paper roll with the attached core is then rolled forward until the core shaft projections pass the lip 10 of the rocker members 7. Lips 10 of the rocker members are raised by reversing the flow of air to cylinders 13 thereby tilting the rocker assembly in a direction opposite to that first mentioned. When the cylinders 13 have fully contracted, the rocker assembly 2 is in such a position that the upper surface of the rocker members slopes slightly downward toward the cylinders 13 and the paper roll, supported by the core projections resting on the top surface of the rocker members, rolls freely to the core shaft stops 11 and is then clamped by roll clamps 12.

Air pressure is then released from tank 29 by placing the three-way valve in the exhaust position. The weight of the plough beam 20 at the ends of arms 15 causes the arms (15 to pivot about pivot axis 16 which, in turn, forces fluid from dashpot 28. The fluid from dashpot 20 is forced through line 31 thereby closing the check valve portion of flow control valve 33 whereby the beam is prevented from dropping too quickly.

The gear motor 25 is started and the ploughs 23 may be quickly lowered to within A inch of the roll surface by opening the quick-opening valve 34 which allows the oil to pass through by-pass line 32 and flow-control valve 35. As the flow control valve 35 is set for a flow rate substantially gerater than the flow control valve 33, the rate at which the plough beam may descend is greatly increased. When the ploughs are within i inch of the roll surface the quick opening valve 34 is closed and the plough assembly then continues to descend at the rate determined by the setting of flow control valve 33.

As the plough assembly continues to descend, the ploughs rotating along the length of the roll rip through successive layers of paper and the layers so stripped fall ofi the roll and into the hole in the floor over which the stripping machine is located. The stripped sheets of paper fall down into a repulping machine which advantageously is positioned directly below the hole A in the floor.

When all the paper has been stripped from the roll, gear motor 25 may be stopped, the plough assembly raised in the manner outlined previously, and the core rod, which remains clamped by clamps 12 and core shaft stops 11 may then easily be removed.

To obtain optimum ploughing action, the inclination of the plough beam must be set with regard to the rate of descent of the plough beam. Thus, if a cut per plough is desired, the beam must be inclined so that the point of each plough when in a ripping position is A inch further from the surface of the core shaft than the point of the following plough when in a ripping position. Additionally, the rate at which the plough beam pivots downwardly must be adjusted such that each plough continues to rip through inch of paper notwithstanding the inclination of the plough beam.

The pivot points 2 8A and 28C of dashpot 28 are so located with respect to pivot 16 that as the arms 15 descend, the leverage advantage of arms 15 is gradually increased whereby the plough beam may accelerate in its downward movement. Thus, the machine compensates automatically for the decreasing amount of paper removed from the roll due to its decreasing circumference as paper is removed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apparatus for stripping web material from a roll, comprising: a frame; arm means mounted on said frame and pivotable about a horizontal first axis; means for locating the roll on said frame with the longitudinal axis of said roll parallel to and spaced from said first axis; and stripping means mounted on said arm means and spaced from said first axis a distance substantially similar to the distance between said first axis and said longitudinal axis, said stripping means being adapted to move substantially axially of said roll.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including: regulator means for regulating the angular velocity of said stripping means as said arm pivots downwardly towards the centre of said roll.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said frame comprises: a base; and loading means for lifting said roll from a roll storage area onto the apparatus and moving said roll into engagement with the roll locating means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said regulator means comprise hydraulic dashpot means.

5. An apparatus according to claim '3, wherein said locating means are clamp means adapted to rigidly clamp on said base and pivotable about an axis parallel to said first axis, said rocker means having a substantially fiat upper surface with upwardly extending projection means at one end; and force applying means connected to said base and said rocker means whereby said rocker means may be pivoted; and. said locating means are mounted on said upper surface of said rocker means; whereby a roll, with its core abutting against said projection means and the ends of said core being supported by said upper surface, is lifted as said rocker means is pivoted and upon References Cited further pivoting of said rooker means said roll rolls along UNITED STATES PATENTS said top surface into engagement wlth said locating means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said arm 29571065 10/1960 Bungegaard 8t 9 X means have two ends and are pivoted therebetween; 5 3,204,501 9/ 1965 Lanz 83-661X counterweight means being mounted to one of said ends 3,245,302 4/1966 y y X whereb the Wei ht of said stri in means is artiall balance}; g pp g P y JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner 7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said U S cl XR locating means are clamp means adapted to rigidly clamp 10 each end of a core of said roll. 83--523, 661, 662, 924 

